


A Knockturn Confession

by the_moon_also_falls



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Ficlet, Mutual Pining, Video Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 09:17:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17221172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_moon_also_falls/pseuds/the_moon_also_falls
Summary: Evelyn James has enough on her plate with the search for her missing brother. When best friend Bill Weasley offers to go with her to Knockturn Alley to find information on his whereabouts, she hopes the trip can go smoothly. A threatening witch has other plans.





	A Knockturn Confession

**Author's Note:**

> So I haven’t written in a long time and this is the first thing I’ll have posted on here so I hope you like it! If not feel free to add criticism in the comments and I’ll try to revise!

Anxious sounded like an understatement to describe my panicked state as I wiped my sweaty palms off on my jeans. The eldest Weasley had been in a study group to prepare for his N.E.W.T.s and agreed to meet me in Knockturn Alley. I wished we could have just gone together- that place was creepy enough- but I didn’t want to seem cowardly in front of the Gryffindor and hadn’t made a comment about it.

As soon as I turn down the alley I attempt to tune out the chilling comments I hear around me.

“Wizards go missing in Knockturn Alley all the time”

“Back, are you? If you’re looking for trouble, just say so”

“Unforgivable Curses? The only thing that’s unforgivable is allowing the Ministry to decide what we can and can’t do”

_Just_ _keep_ _walking_. It was bitterly cold out- a little unusual for early November- and the loud crunching of fallen leaves under my sneakers wasn’t exactly helping me go unnoticed. I spot Bill by the storefront of Borgin and Burkes and the amount of relief that hits me sweeps through me like a tidal wave. I cross the distance quickly, calming a bit in his presence. I’m thankful he didn’t wear any of his school representative attire and instead had opted for darkly washed jeans and an all black button down shirt. Not that I noticed how handsome he looked in it because I most certainly did not. He looks nervous too with the crinkle in between his eyebrows and his vigilant blue gaze. I fidget for a moment, then-

“We should go in and see if Mundungus Fletcher is there. If not, maybe the owner knows his whereabouts”. He nods slightly and glances at me for a moment with an expression I can’t quite place. We start walking at the same time, only to be stopped after a stride. A frightening looking witch dressed in black blocks our path, and I realize suddenly that there are now bystanders watching us with interest.

“Not so fast, dear. You and your friend here still owe us something”. She’s tall, wearing even an all black hat and displaying thick black hair that hides a bit of her face but still exposes darkly glinting eyes.

“For what?” I barely manage to ask around my tongue that has become mysteriously heavier. Cold sweat breaks out on my skin and surveys the territory on the back of my neck and by my spine.

“For safe passage through Knockturn Alley, of course. Terrible things have been known to happen in this place..” _Those_ _terrible_ _things_ _being_ _actions_ _taken_ _by_ _people_ _like_ _her_ , I think bravely.

“We don’t have anything to give..” I hedge, my eyes darting around anxiously. Bill, I notice, is standing behind me a bit and I realize that I had instinctively moved in front of him at the sight of this witch.

“Everyone has something to give, dear. Blood, fingernails, eyes… all are quite valuable to the proper connoisseur.”

_As_ _if_ _my_ _blood_ _could_ _get_ _any_ _colder_.

Her hand goes into her robes, but my sweaty hands have been clutching my wand at the ready since my arrival. I lift my hand to strike her first just as Bill moves in front of me protectively. “Stay behind me Evelyn, I’ll….” but he doesn’t get to finish before a spell hits him. He hunches slightly, wrapping one hand around his throat and placing the other on his abdomen as he starts to choke.

“Bill!” I put my right hand on his shoulder and my left lower on his back as he begins to vomit slugs. “Disgusting isn’t it? Not everyone can be as pretty as you- but you won’t be for much longer”.

Its all the anger I need to swallow my fear.

My _depulso_ hits her before she can finish a spell- to her misfortune and to my suprise- and as soon as she gets on her feet with a wickedly anticipating expression I use _flipendo_ to knock her back again. Whatever she responds with gets blocked in the nick of time with a _protego_ to keep Bill and I unharmed.

I blast her again with another aggressive spell as Professor Rakepick appears out of the gloom and uses an _incarcerous_ on her with a victorious smile. _I had it handled_. Leave it to her to swoop in the last second to act as though I’m incapable.

My professor makes a remark to the bystanders who scatter and turns to make a comment at me, but whatever it is she says goes through one ear and out the other as I focus on Bill.

Bill has ceased vomiting but still looks sick and I put a hand on his shoulder and his back again. “Are you alright?” I ask his hunched form quietly. He softly murmurs that he is and I rub his back for a minute in a way that I hope to be reassuring. After a moment I put one of his arms around my shoulder and then proceed to wrap mine around his waist. “Come on, let me take you to the hospital wing”.

After Madam Pomfrey eventually surrenders us to silence, I turn to look at Bill, really look at him, while his eyes are closed and he’s waiting for his potion to ease the nausea. His long orange hair contrasts greatly against the whiteness of his pillow and I didn’t have to remind myself how much I respected him, how much I trusted him, and how much I cared about him. He was the fourth person I had the privilege to call my friend- and quickly became one of my best.

Bill had talked about me so much at home and invited me over enough for his mom to make me the sweater I was in- and Percy and I had some differences in beliefs about rules but we were on good terms. Whenever I went over to the Burrow to spend time with them I’d end up conversing with everyone in the house and playing some friendly quidditch with them all- with the exception of Ginny and Ron who Molly fretted were too young to participate yet.

And look what had done.

Even when we had first met he was willing to run into danger with me, and hadn’t hesitated to help me in any and every way that he could. I never should have asked- or agreed- to let him come with me at all in any of those potentially perilous missions. I was doing this to find my brother and it was fine for me to be injured or harmed in the process- his safety was a completely different issue.

The night had descended into complete black out the window and I couldn’t help but notice the music of crickets being entirely absent- perhaps it was even too cold for them. I peered through the glass, doubting that I would’ve been able to see anything out of it even if I had decent vision.

“Ev” He croaks, startling me out of my thoughts. I wonder how long he’d had his eyes open. “I’m here” I soothe and before I can think about the consequences I grab his hand and lace my fingers through his. _To_ _reassure_ _him_. _To_ _make_ _him_ _feel_ _safe_. _That's_ _all_. My mind wanders again as I look at him, and something in my face captures his attention. “What is it? What are you thinking about?” He inquires softly and his thumb slowly slides over mine in our conjoined hands, making my breath hitch in my chest for a reason I can’t explain.

“Three years ago you risked your life and your safety to come with me to break the first cursed vault. You got trapped in the cursed ice- and now we’re three vaults down and here we are again in the hospital wing because your once again injured on my account.” He doesn’t reply for a moment, instead breathing deeply and his eyes scan the scratches and dents in the ceiling as though doing so will provide him an answer.

“You barely knew me and you still stood by me in the face of danger the first time,” I continue. “Your safety should never be compromised because of me, I shouldn't have ever asked you to come with me any of those times.” I clear my throat. “I’m sorry I hurt you’.

Bill’s light blue eyes hold my gaze steady and I can’t quite place his expression. “Ev,” he whispers, “you never hurt me. I gladly went with you of my own accord- and I don’t regret a second of it.” His hand squeezes mine. “Not even when you were frozen?” I can barely breathe out the question and he lets out one of his hearty laughs.

“Not even when I was frozen. And don’t think I haven’t noticed that any time there's trouble you get in front of me to try to protect me”.

“You say it like its a bad thing”.

“I admire that you want to keep me safe, but it should be the other way around”.

“Why?”, I inquire, and half jokingly, “because you’re older and more experienced?”

“No,” Bill whispers, and he lets go of my hand and gently uses his to brush a lock of hair behind my ear in a way that makes me shiver. He runs his stray thumb down my jawline, puts his fingers lightly under my chin, and runs his thumb over my lips. His eyes are wide and everything in his face screams vulnerability. My heart slams against my rib cage as I wait for it.

“Because I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you”

_There_ _it_ _is_.

My heart accelerates as I slowly move from my chair over to him on the cot and hold his face in my hands. I kiss him on the forehead, and as I look into his eyes I realize he’s completely sincere and that's all I need. I kiss him softly on the mouth and he kisses me back ever so sweetly that my heart swells and _holy_ _fuck_ _he_ _kissed_ _me_. _I_ _kissed_ _him_. _He_ _likes_ _me_. I pull back to register his expression, to make sure it’s not one of horror or regret, and he grins so broadly that I can’t help but giggle.

“I’m so glad Pomfrey let me brush my teeth a minute ago” Bill confides into the small space between our lips and I jerk away from him as a burst into a fit of laughter so hard I’m shaking with mirth. He sits up and joins in, and after awhile it's clear that its not only from his joke and rather an influx of emotion.

“Come here” Bill murmurs to me as he scoots over to make room on the cot. I cautiously crawl in and sit beside him, resting my head on his shoulder as his arm wraps around my waist. I breathe in the delicious scent of his cologne and relax against him as he rests his head on top of mine. “We’ll break this curse- and save Beatrice and your brother- but we’ll do it together. Okay?” I nod and smile at his words. “ Okay” I agree. “Do you trust me?” He asks gently, running a hand through my hair. “Always” I whisper, and I’ve never said a truer word.


End file.
